media release

Hāpai Te Hauora supports the recommendations from a study into New Zealanders’ attitudes towards banning smoking in cars carrying children. The authors are researchers from the University of Otago and the University of Auckland.

Hāpai Te Hauora supports calls from iwi and the Independent Māori Statutory Board urging the Auckland Council to implement the total closure of the Waitākere ranges to prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease. Yesterday councillors at the environment and community committee meeting voted 11 to 7 against the resolution to close the ranges.

Te Rā Mokopuna, National Safe Sleep Day, is celebrated on Friday 1 December. This is the first time the annual event will be supported by the leadership of the new National SUDI Prevention Coordination Service at Hāpai Te Hauora.

Public health groups are thrilled that the five-year legal battle to set a floor price for alcohol in Scotland has finally reached its conclusion. On Wednesday, the UK Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Scottish Government to allow implementation of its Minimum Unit Pricing legislation of 50 pence per standard drink to save lives and reduce crime.

"As a public health organisation we want to extend our congratulations first to the new Minister of Health, David Clark," said Lance Norman CEO of Hāpai te Hauora "we look forward to introducing the Minister to the Hāpai team and working together to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders."

Over a third of those seeking support for problem gambling are Māori. That’s a statistic that doesn’t sit well with 20-year-old Brooke Stilwell. Passionate about creating positive change in her community, Brooke has championed an innovative public health intervention to raise awareness and tackle gambling harm in her community.

Research conducted by Whakauae Research for Māori Health and Development (Whanganui), and led by Dr Heather Gifford, highlights Māori public health workers and advocates attitudes towards Smokefree Outdoor Policies (SFOP). Māori leadership in creating smokefree outdoor environments was marked by the emergence, in the 1990s, of the auahi kore marae movement. While more needs to be done to ensure all marae are smokefree, the remaining challenges have not stopped Māori seeking to make other areas, of particular relevance to Māori, smokefree.